Dolley Madison Saves George Washington's Portrait (HWK 3/5/13)
Tecumseh (HWK 3/5/13)
CLICK HERE to view a video on Tecumseh as a man and leader.
War of 1812 - Intro (Classwork 3/4/13)
Hamilton vs. Burr (Classwork on 2/28/13)
Electoral College Map Activity (Classwork on 2/26/13)
George Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion
"George Washington faced a serious challenge to the rule of law during his first term as president. The new Constitution had replaced the Articles of Confederation. To avoid the financial problems experienced under the Articles, the Constitution allowed the federal government to collect certain kinds of taxes. In 1790, an excise tax on whiskey and some other items was passed to raise money to meet the financial obligations of the government. Farmers west of the Appalachian Mountains bitterly opposed the whiskey tax. These farmers were unable to move their grain to far away markets and still make a profit, so instead they distilled their grain into whiskey. Jugs of whiskey could be traded for supplies locally, and more easily exported over the mountains to profitable markets in the east. Certain Pennsylvania farmers decided not to pay the whiskey tax. By 1794, violent opposition erupted in four western counties of Pennsylvania.
Washington was always aware that as the first president he was establishing precedents, or examples. He knew that he could not allow such a blatant disregard for the rule of law. He believed that if any group was permitted to disobey the law, “there is an end put at one stroke to republican government, and nothing but anarchy and confusion is to be expected thereafter.” Washington sent word to the rebels to disperse and go home. He also ordered nearly 13,000 state militiamen to prepare to march if his orders were not followed. Facing such an overwhelming show of force, the farmers laid down their weapons and agreed to pay the tax. The Whiskey Rebellion had ended and the rule of law was secure. Later that year, Washington commented on the rebellion in his Sixth State of the Union Address:
It has demonstrated that our prosperity rests on solid foundations; by furnishing an additional proof that my fellow-citizens understand the true principles of government and liberty; that they feel their inseparable union; that, notwithstanding all the devices, which have been used to sway them from their interest and duty, they are now as ready to maintain the authority of the laws against licentious invasions, as they were to defend their rights against usurpation. It has been a spectacle, displaying to the highest advantage the value of republican government…."
"George Washington and the Rule of Law." Rediscovering George Washington. PBS, 2002. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
War of 1812 VoiceThread Project (3/6/13)
Dolley Madison Saves George Washington's Portrait (HWK 3/5/13)
Tecumseh (HWK 3/5/13)
CLICK HERE to view a video on Tecumseh as a man and leader.
War of 1812 - Intro (Classwork 3/4/13)
Hamilton vs. Burr (Classwork on 2/28/13)
Electoral College Map Activity (Classwork on 2/26/13)
George Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion
"George Washington faced a serious challenge to the rule of law during his first term as president. The new Constitution had replaced the Articles of Confederation. To avoid the financial problems experienced under the Articles, the Constitution allowed the federal government to collect certain kinds of taxes. In 1790, an excise tax on whiskey and some other items was passed to raise money to meet the financial obligations of the government. Farmers west of the Appalachian Mountains bitterly opposed the whiskey tax. These farmers were unable to move their grain to far away markets and still make a profit, so instead they distilled their grain into whiskey. Jugs of whiskey could be traded for supplies locally, and more easily exported over the mountains to profitable markets in the east. Certain Pennsylvania farmers decided not to pay the whiskey tax. By 1794, violent opposition erupted in four western counties of Pennsylvania.
Washington was always aware that as the first president he was establishing precedents, or examples. He knew that he could not allow such a blatant disregard for the rule of law. He believed that if any group was permitted to disobey the law, “there is an end put at one stroke to republican government, and nothing but anarchy and confusion is to be expected thereafter.” Washington sent word to the rebels to disperse and go home. He also ordered nearly 13,000 state militiamen to prepare to march if his orders were not followed. Facing such an overwhelming show of force, the farmers laid down their weapons and agreed to pay the tax. The Whiskey Rebellion had ended and the rule of law was secure. Later that year, Washington commented on the rebellion in his Sixth State of the Union Address:
It has demonstrated that our prosperity rests on solid foundations; by furnishing an additional proof that my fellow-citizens understand the true principles of government and liberty; that they feel their inseparable union; that, notwithstanding all the devices, which have been used to sway them from their interest and duty, they are now as ready to maintain the authority of the laws against licentious invasions, as they were to defend their rights against usurpation. It has been a spectacle, displaying to the highest advantage the value of republican government…."
"George Washington and the Rule of Law." Rediscovering George Washington. PBS, 2002. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
George Washington and the French Revolution